Would the Scottsdale Scorpions make the playoffs? Would they extend their season-ending winning streak from six games to seven? Will we have a game to cover tomorrow night?
Yep!
In a bit of a nail-biter, the Scorpions held off the Glendale Desert Dogs and won by one run, giving them not just a playoff spot, but a higher seed! And the winning run was knocked in by Charlie Szykowny in the 8th inning! So, we’ve got at least one more game to go…plus, in non-Giants news, a Top 100 Prospect injury and the first ever Triple Crown winner in the Arizona Fall League!
AFL: Scottsdale Scorpions 7, Glendale Desert Dogs 6
Giants Prospects to Spotlight:
- 3B Charlie Szykowny: 2-4, 1 RBI, 2 K, 1 SB (2) – As noted above, Szykowny knocked in the important winning run with his 8th inning single. He finishes the regular season going 17-for-62 (.274) and a .716 OPS.
- LF Bo Davidson: 0-2, 2 K – Okay, Davidson gets an unexpected rough finish after a 1st inning injury to Jett Williams. Davidson came in to play and was 0-for-2 with two strikeouts, so his regular fall season ends with a line of .283/.362/.433 and an OPS of .795. He’s got a good chance of appearing in either of the potential playoff games.
- SP Cale Lansville: 3.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K – Fall Star Cale Lansville had a solid final start. He finished with a 3.45 ERA in six appearances, although he allowed 23 hits and five walks in 15.2 innings, while striking out 18.
- RP Tyler Vogel: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K – Tyler Vogel had a solid, if short, final appearance. In nine relief appearances (8 IP), he had a 5.63 ERA with five hits and five walks, but also six strikeouts.
Other Scottsdale Top Prospect Lines:
- CF Jett Williams (NYM, #52 Overall): 0-0, 1 HBP – Jett Williams was lifted early in this game. He was hit by a pitch in the top of the first, though he stayed in to play defense, but he sprained his ankle crashing into the wall after a double in the bottom of the first, and he was replaced by Davidson. As a Top 100 prospect, eyes will be on how he is after this, but he will almost certainly miss the playoffs.
- LF Jacob Reimer (NYM, #20 Team): 1-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 HR (2) – Reimer replaced Davidson in the 6th inning, but there was no obvious reason why.
- DH Josue Briceño (DET, #9 Team): 1-4, 1 R, 1 2B (5) – Briceño hit .437 with 10 home runs and 27 RBI, and he became the first player in the 32-year history of the Arizona Fall League to win the circuit’s Triple Crown.
- LF-CF Drew Gilbert (NYM, #74 Overall): 1-1, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 1 SB (2)
Top Glendale Prospect Lines:
- CF Zyhir Hope (LAD, #11 Team): 0-5, 1 K, 1 SB (2)
- DH Gabriel Rincones Jr. (PHI, #11 Team): 2-4, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K
- C Leonardo Bernal (STL, #9 Team): 2-4, 2 RBI, 1 2B (1), 1 BB, 1 E (4)
- SP Griff McGarry (PHI, #21 Team): 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 WP, 1 HBP
- RP Connor Phillips (CIN, #15 Team): 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
What’s Next?
On October 28th, the Scorpions were 5-12, and tied for last place, six games behind the two teams tied for first. Since then, they went 11-2, finishing as one of three teams at 16-14, tied for second. In fact, the Scorpions get the #2 overall seed, as they hold the head-to-head record over both Salt River and Glendale. Salt River takes the #3 seed.
So, Scottsdale and Salt River will play at Scottsdale Stadium on Friday night for a one-game semifinal playoff game. The winner will face 1st place Surprise at Salt River Fields on Saturday. Scottsdale will be the home team at Scottsdale coincidentally, as Scottsdale Stadium was chosen ahead of time as a neutral site for the game.
Fun fact: The two first place teams back on October 28th? One was the league’s eventual first place team Surprise. The other? The Mesa Solar Sox, who did the opposite of Scottsdale and fell to 5th place at 14-16.